Womens Forum NYC, Elly Awards

Imgres-2In 1973 Elinor Guggenheimer began the Womens Forum NYC with
the thought that women should pool together their political clout.  It
wasn't only her activism in womens issues that gave her the idea to
start the Womens Forum it was also seeing her husband use his network of
men to get things done.  If men could use their network for everything
then why shouldn't women.  She set out to create the Womens Forum NY
which is now an international organization with sixty-five affiliates
around the world. 

A woman who I have got to know over the last few years who I can now
call my good friend would ask me time and time again do you know this
person, well you should.  Do you know this woman, well you should.  She
is one of the most charming connected woman I know but I realized that
she had got to know so many interesting women from such a variety of
verticals and walks of life from the Womens Forum. 

So when she
asked me if I'd be interested in being nominated to be part of the
Womens Forum I was thrilled.  I was invited to a breakfast to meet a few
other women to start the process.  I so enjoyed my first introduction
to this initial small group of women.  Each of them were smart, warm and
doing interesting things.  I am excited to nowbe part of the organization.

This past week I went to one of their big events of the year, The Elly Awards.  Each year they pick 12 or more candidates that are women who have had their lives disrupted be it health, family or whatever and because of that were not able to finish their education.  These women must be 35 or older.  The impact they make on these womens lives is incredible.  Each of the women in the video that was shown at the event had gone on to not only graduate but get jobs and/or pursue higher education. They each talked about how their children were so proud of what they had accomplished. 

The tag line is brilliant:  Educate a woman, impact generations.  I keep thinking about those women.  Just a great event.